Golf ball marking machine



April 30, 1935:. I R T I 1,999,647

' GOLF BALL MARKING MACHINE Filed March 16, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet" 1 IN VEN TOR.

April 30, 1935. R. ATTl GOLF BALL MARKING MACI'uNE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I Filed March 16, 193 2.-

INVENTOR. fli /MEL 477/. j

. ATTORNEY.

Patented Apr. 30, 1935 7 1,999,647

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1,999,647 GOLF BALL MARKING MACHINE Raphael Atti, Union City, N. J.

' Application March 16; 1932, Serial No. 599,084

4 Claims. (01. 197-47) This invention relates to golf ball marking Fig. 3 is a plan. view of the ball receiving cup machines in general and more especially to maseparated from the machine of this embodiment; chines for impressing a row of characters on a Fig. 4 is a side elevation of another embodigolf ball. V v V t ment of the present invention with parts thereof Recently it has become the custom to form broken away and shown in section;

on golf balls a mark to identify the player of a Fig; 5 is an end elevation of the embodiment particular golf ball. In other words, the player shown in Fig. 4; and s when purchasing a set of golf balls will have the Fig. 6 is a plan view of the ball receiving cup .same marked with identifying marks so as to portion of this'embodiment.

facilitate distinguishing his ball from those of In the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 10 the other players. This custom has been found 3, there is provided a bracket having a base I to be of considerable value in preventing c0n-- with'an upwardly extending wall member 2. The fusion, especially resulting when they golf balls bracket may have formed thereontwo standards of a group of players come to rest on the field. 3 and 4 which in the present instance are shown close toone another. V as secured to the base I by the screws 5 and 6 15 To this end the present invention aims to prorespectively. vide an improved golf ball marking machine The upper ends of the standards 3 and 4 are which can be operated by the average dealer or provided with journals to receive the pivot pins 1 golf ball professional at the time the golf ball is and 8 respectively extending through the ears 9 purchased and while the purchaser is waiting and It! respectively of the cup H. The pin 8 20 for the same. is preferably provided with a knurled handle l2 Specifically the present invention aims to prowhereby the cup H may be turned according to vide a golf ball marking machine which is selfthe position desired. The cup H is provided to contained, that is the type or characters to be receive the golf ball I3 to be marked and has used are all part and parcel of the same machine quarter marks 14 formed on the annular edge 15 5 and only require positioning of the machine and guiding conformationslfi in the concave face preparatory to forming the character desired. ll of the cup which are complemental to the It is still another object of the present invendesign conformations of the ball to be marked, tion to provideagolf ball marking machine which either of the mesh type, dimple design or any is self-contained and may with facility be set other design. a 3

to produce the mark desired. In the present instance, the ball. I3 is illus- It is still another object of the present inventrated as provided with the mesh design.

tion to provide an improved golf ball marking The pin 'i has also formed thereon the toothed machine in which a series of characters forming segment !8, the teeth l9 of which are adapted aparticular mark may with facility be successiveto cooperate with the tooth 20 of the pawl 2|, 5'

ly set and operated with a minimum loss of time pivotally connected at 22 to the arm 23 of the in operation. lever 24, pivotally connected at 25 to the wall 2. It is still another object of the present inven- The pawl 21 is preferably provided with a finger tion to provide an improved golf ball marking 26 whereby the tooth 20 may be removed from machine in which the several characters of a engagement with the teeth l9 against the ten- 40 particular mark may be successively impressed sion of the spring 21' which connects the pawl 2| on the ball and the ball accurately positioned with the abutment 28 formed on the rear end of for each successive mark and. similarly that'each the lever M. The segment i 8 is fixed to the pinl successive character be set preparatory to operawhich in turn is fixed to the cup ll so that any tion with a minimum loss of time. actuation of the segment is will in turn actuate 45 These and other features, capabilities and ad-. the cup It. The teeth is are spaced apart the vantages of the invention will appear from the distance from center to center of adjacent charsubjoined detail description of specific embodiacters of a mark so that if the fingerpiece 29 .ments thereof illustrated in the accompanying is depressed, it will cause the pawl 2| to advance drawings in which a the segmenttthe space of a tooth and thereby 50 u Figure 1 is a side elevation of a machinemade turn the cup H the space of a tooth along an according to one embodiment of the present inare described by the teeth when moving about vention with parts thereof broken away and the pin 1 as the center. shown in section; 9 The segment [8 further is providedwith a Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same; plurality of depressions or recesses 30 formed in 55 a'row adjacent to the teeth I9, one depression for each tooth to receive the ball 3i which partly extends out of the recess 32 being urged outwardly by the spring 33 in such recess 32 to frictionally anchor the ball 3! in any one of the depressions 30. This ball 3| will thus cooperate with the depressions 30 to frictionally anchor the segment H3 in the position to which advanced by the lever 24.

In order to facilitate alining a mark consisting of arow of characters according to the number of characters in the mark, the'gr'aduated plate 34 is provided secured to the wall member 2 to one side of the standards 3 and 4 and pref-"- erably arc shaped, and as illustrated in the present instance, is composed of sixhiinierals, l, 2;"4, 6, 8 and 10 to correspond to the number of characters to a mark.

To cooperate with this plate 34 and the numerals thereon, there is provided the indicators 35 which is fixed on the pin 1 and thus moves with the cup H" and therefore may as is here intended indicate the'p osition "of the cup by cooperation with the graduations on'the plate 34. The cup "I i and indicator '35 will so be'fixed relative to one another'that if a single character is to be formed at the pole of the ball, the indicator will register on the plate 34 with'the number l, which position will definethe location of the cup as indicated in 'Fig;2, where its an nular surface lfi will 'be substantially horizontal.

If a mark is intended to be impressed which consi's ts of two characters, before starting the printing operation, the cup H will be moved around to the position where the indicator will register After each printing or pressed to cause the segment and pawl 2| to move the cup and the ball'therewith one notch downward in the direction of the lever 24.

The position of the cup H when the indicator 35 registerswith the numeral 2 will be such that the first character impressed at-such posi-' tion will be to one'side of the pole and then, after depressing the lever 24, the indicator will vagain drop to the positionwhere it will register with the numeral Wand the cup will be in position to receive the second punch or impres-' sion directly at the pole.

If the mark'consists of three characters, the

starting position may also coincide with'the position of the indicator 35 in registration with the numeral 2 since theposition of the third character will in that case-be preferably impressed on-the other side of the poles'o that we have a three character'mark having the middle character on the pole and each of the other characters to one side of the pole} 5 E l If the mark is'to consist of four-characters in which case two characters of the mark will'be -=.'positioned to oneside of the pole, the indicator 35 in its initial position need only be moved up'an other no'tch'to' register with the numeral 4: It

will then be apparent that with the depression of the lever 24 after'eachpun'ching operation,- the indicator 35will'register with" thehorizontal or neutral position indicated- 1after the'lever 24 has been depressed twice so thatthe' th'ird punching operation will causethe'chara'cter'to be printed at the pole. Furthermore the ball will thenbe' in position so that upon a third'depression of "the lever 24,-the' ballwill have been r05" tatedso that it will'be' in position to receive-the fourth character in the position immediately td the otherflside-of the pole? The punching apparatus consists essentially of a pivoted bracket 36 pivoted on the shaft 31 extending through the wall member 2 preferably above the level of the pins 1 and 8. The bracket 36 preferably has a limiting projection 38 extending between wall portions of the wall member 2 to cooperate with the end of the screw 39 mounted in the bracket 40 secured to the wall 2. This screw 39 may be positioned to determine the depth of the punching stroke.

For normally 'maintainingthe printing bracket out'of impression creating position, there is provided the spring 4| tensed between the projection 38 and the bracket 40 and preferably as indicatedmounted on the screw 39.

i The bracket 36 preferably has an upwardly extending-arm portion 42, atthe upper end of which there is provided an indicator 43 to register with the characters on the flange 44 of the segmental disc shaped member 45. The characters in the present instance are shown as the letters of the alphabet althoughthe flange 4,4. is long enough in thefp'resent instance "to? acchmmodate three additional characters, and the flange may of course be made still longer or shorter dependihg' up'or'rthe use to whichitheidevice is tojbe'put The'fiahgef44,is"a'rbuate in shape having aradmsqcr esponain tothe line extending from the flange tofthe pivotal center of, the member 45 at 46 which is the center or thefscrew 41 forming the pivot pin for the device 45;'such screw eggtending through the bracket into the handle member'48as indicated." The screw in the pres ent ihstance'is: screw threade dly connected to the handle'in'ember 48 and is preferably pinnedjhereto by the pin 49, indicated.

The member 45; consists of a segment So on theedge off'whichis formed thefflange l landa short segment 5| on the edge of which are forrned thetype'or' dies '52 corresponding to the letters on' the flange 44, a letter mark on the flange 44: corresponding .to the die which is disposed dithe present instance consists of a plurality, of.

openings 5 3 v formed in the-member 4 5,poncentric with the flange 44 and preferably adjacent, to' the same as indicated, one opening 75 3;for each type or die 52and its corresponding character indication on the flange 44. l v

'I'hese openings 53. are provided, to cooperate with theba1l'54 located in the recessu55fformed in the, head 56, of the; arm '42. andresilientlyf pressed outwardly byythe spring 5l,"the spring 51 causing the ball 54 :to' partly protrude .into' the opening 53 .in. alinement'with it. It is of course understood that the segmental device45 willbe mounted torotate with itsface 58 'slidably engaging the face 59 of'tlie arm '42 the openings '53,

Fror'ri'theforegoing, it will be seen that assuming the-rnark tobe impressed consisted of the letters A B a two character mark as iiupiwill' so that the ball 54 will with facility cooperate withfirst be positioned by'causing the indicator 35 to register with the numeral "2 on-the plate 33, then the handle 48 will be turned until the letter A on the flange 44 registers with the indicator 43, and then the handle 4-8 pressed downwardly with sufficient force to cause the character to be punched intothe ball I3 mounted. in the cup I I. The lever 24 will thereupon be depressed to position the cup and'contained ball I3 for the succeeding punching operation and then the handle 48 will again be rotated to cause the letter B on the flange 4:! to register with the indicator 43 whereupon the handle 43 may again be depressed with suificient force to cause the character B to'be stamped onto the ball i3.

The position of the ball It will be determined by positioning the ball by means of the quarter marks I4 and the design conformations It so that the equator of the ball will register with the upper edge of the cup and the conformations I5 register with the complemental conformations on the ball I3.

In order normally and yieldably to maintain the lever 24 in the raised position indicated in Fig. 2, the spring 60 is provided, being tensed between a pocket formed in the base I and the lower face of the lever 24, such spring 66 normally maintaining the lever 24 in its raised position in engagement with the stop pin 6! extending from the wall member 2. To limit the downward movement of the lever 24 from its uppermost position, see the dash and dot line position shown in Fig. 2 so that the throw of the lever 24 will be sufiicient to actuate the pawl 2 I, one tooth space at a time and no more than one tooth space at a time, the stop pin 82 is provided extending upwardly from the base I to cooperate with the lower face of the lever 24 as shown.

The embodiment illustrated in Figs. 4, 5 and 6, is substantially identical to the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, except in the respects now to be described.

In this embodiment, the ball I3 instead of being supported in the cup I I pivotally connected by the pivot pins I and 3 to the standards 3 and 4 is mounted in a separate cup 63 having a lateral cylindrical face and plane bottom surface to fit in a corresponding opening 64 formed in the cup I I. The cup II here also preferably has a central opening 65 at its lower end in communication with the plane lower surface of the secondary cup 63.

The secondary cup 63 in this instance is provided with the quarter marks 94 on its upper annular edge I5 and the guiding conformations,

to wit the guiding conformations I6, in this in-v stance are formed in the concave face ll of the cup 63.

Furthermore, to anchor the secondary cup 63 in the holding cup II, there is provided the bail or strap 66, the ends of which are pivotally connected in the recesses El and 68 of the holder l I' and the inner surface of the area 69, the surface of which conforms substantially to the curvature of the ball I3 to be anchored and. the position of the pivotal pins of the strap 66 is such that its edge 'Iil will as clearly indicated in Fig. i just clear the arcuate area II of the ball I3. To clear the path of movement of the type or dies 52 on the disc 45', it is of course obvious that when the strap 66 is moved to the left with regard to Fig. 4, it will clear the ball I3 and permit the ball I3 freely to be with-drawn from the secondary cup 63.

In another respect this embodiment differs from the embodiment illustrated in Figs-Q l to 3. Here the ball will be automatically positionedby the actuation of the lever 48 during the printing operation. In other words, the lever 24 in this instance is connected to the link "I2 which is guided in'theopen'in'g formed in the arm "I3 extending from the upper end of the wall memher 2.

This link 12 consists of a telescopic device having an outer cylindrical portion I4 in which the plunger "I5 is reciprocably mounted, being urged into its outer position by the spring i6 disposed between the inner end of the cylindrical chamber and the inner end of the plunger I5. The upper end of the plunger '15 is" provided with a roller 16 to engage the lower face of the projection TI extending from the side of the arm 36. To anchor the plunger IS in the cylindrical portion 14, the cylindrical portion is provided with a vertically extending slot '18 in which the projection 19 on the plunger is slidable, such projection 19 being disposed below the arm I3 so that the plunger [5 and consequently the link 72 is limited in its upward movement by the cooperation of the stop is with the arm '63.

The disc 45 in the present instance differs from the corresponding device 45 in the embodiment of Figs. 1, 2 and 3 in the respects now to be described. v

The disc 45 is substantially circular, the type or dies 52 being formed on one half of the periphery and the notches 53 being formed along the other half of the periphery, each notch in the present instance being provided with a letter formed on the side of the disc 45', which letter corresponds to the type 5'! diametrically opposed thereto. The recesses 53 in the present instance cooperate with the ball 54 disposed in the vertically extending slot 55of the overhanging portion 56 of the arm 35, the ball 54 being urged into the recess 53' registering therewith by the spring 51 disposed in the recess 55, such spring in the present instance abutting the screw formed at the outer end of the recess or opening 55to close the outer end thereof. The other end of the spring 51 engages the ball 54 as aforesaid to urge it yieldably into engagement with the notch 53 registering therewith.

In this embodiment, the indicator 35, see

particularly Fig. 4, is bent outwardly at 8I in order to clear the link 12.

In this embodiment, the overhanging portion has formed thereon the flared indicator 82 which extends over the disc 45 to register with the letter corresponding to the recess 53 engaged by the ball 54. The letter disposed adjacent to the indicator 82 will of course indicate that the die 52 diametrically opposite thereto will carry the same letter, to wit the letter M in Fig. 5.

It is obvious that Various changes and modifications may be made tothe details of construction without departing from the general spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

' I claim:

1. The combination with a frame, of a bracket pivotally mounted thereon, a plate pivotally mounted on said bracket consisting of two segments on opposite sides of a line passing through the pivotal axis of said plate, a plurality of type formed on the periphery of one of said segments, a plurality of corresponding notations formed on the periphery of the other segment,

- said'plate, ahandle, on. said 7 foractuating said bracket about its. pivot-in the, corresponding type and notations v of said twq eaments b in d p ed diam t a y ppqsitetq one another, an indicator on said frame cooperating with said notations, said plate beingoperable to.cause said indicator to register with thenotation of the type to be impressed, a supportlfor a ball to: be marked by the type on saidiplate, and a handle; on said plate to be engaged for actuating said bracket about its piv t in turn, to impress the type on the ball poct by said support, said handle being fixed to -said. plate tofacilitate rotating said plate about itsaxis when selecting the type to be impressedptheposition of said type and notations on opposite supplemental segments facilitating theselection of the type for any group and the actuation of the bracket for the type impressing action without removing the hand from the hand e- 2. Thecombination with a frame, of a, bracket pivotally mounted thereon, a plate pivotally mounted on said bracket consisting of two-segmerits ,o n 'op posite sides of a line passing through the. pivotal axis of said plate, a plurality of; type formed on the periphery of one of said seg ments, 'a plurality of correspondingnotations formedon theperiphery of the other segment, the corresponding type, and. notations of said two segmentsbeing disposed diametrically opposite to one another, an indicator on said: frame cooperating with said notations, said plate being operable to cause said indicator to register with the notation of the type to be impressed, a support fora ball to be marked by the type on turn to impress the type on the ball pjofiitiqned bysaid support, saidhandle being fixed to said plate to..f acilitate rotating saidplate about-its agiswhen, selecting the. type to .belirnplressed,

theposition of said type and notationson op,-

posite supplemental segments facilitating the selection ofthe .type for any groupand the actuaa tionof the bracketfor the type impressingace. tio'n without removing the hand from thehandle,

a projection onsaid bracket, andalimitingstop on said frame cooperating with said projection to deterrnine the impressing movement, of.,said,

bracket.

3. The combination with, a frame, of a..bracke t, pivotally mounted, thereon, a disc r otatably v mounted on said bracket having .a.p1ur-a1ity., of,

plate to lee-engaged;

recesses on one half of its periphery and-a like; number of type on the other half of its periphery, there being a character designation formed on, the face of said. disc adjacent to each recess, the designation of each recesscorresponding to, the type diametrically opposed thereto, a ban-- dle for rotating said disc to selectthe type to, be impressed, a spring pressed ball on said bracka et cooperatingwith the recess in registration; therewith to anchor the disc against accidental; displacement, an indicator formed on said bracke et to cooperate with said designations to, indicate the type selected, a holder pivotally mounted on said frame, a ,ballreceiving cup mounted,- in said holder, means forv positioning said holder in turn. to position saidball relative to said disc, and a bail pivotally connected tosaid holder to. be swung into position to anchor said ball against displacement in said cup. l

4. The combination with a frame, of a bracketpivotally mounted thereon, aplate pivotally mounted on said bracket consisting of two segments on opposite sides of a line passing through the pivotal axis of said plate, a plurality oftype formed on the periphery of one of said segments, a plurality of corresponding notations formed. ongthe periphery of the other segment, the corresponding type and notations of said two seg-- ments being disposed diametrically opposite to said support, said handle being fixed to saidplate to facilitate rotating said plate about its axis when selecting the type to be impressed, the position of said type and notations on opposite supplemental segments facilitatingthe selectionof the type for any group and the actuation of the bracket for the type impressing action without removing the hand from the handle, a row of depressions on said segmental plate corresponding to the type formed thereon, and a spring pressed ball on, said bracket cooperating with said depressions frictionally to anchor said segmental plate after a type has been selected during the type impressing operation.

RAPHAEL AT'II. 

